Tragedy to triumph: Local stroke survivor tells her 'miraculous' story on TV

Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

Tuesday

Feb 20, 2018 at 2:06 PMFeb 21, 2018 at 3:54 PM

APPLE VALLEY — Local business woman Brisa Alfaro recently shared her journey of tragedy to triumph on the television show “The Doctors.”

The 36-year-old manager of Las Brisas Restaurant in Apple Valley appeared on the show, where Dr. Travis Stork interviewed Brisa and her mother, Linda Alfaro.

“We taped the show last month at Paramount Studios in Hollywood,” Brisa Alfaro said. “It was a very unique experience and I’m glad my family was with me when I shared my message of hope.”

Brisa Alfaro shared her story with the TV audience, the same one she shared with the Daily Press nearly four years ago after she suffered a sudden and rare Pons stroke that eventually left her paralyzed, with doctors giving her less than a 1-percent chance of gaining her mobility back.

A hair stylist in New York City, she began feeling ill and admitted herself into a hospital where she lost consciousness. Doctors called her mother in Apple Valley and shared the grim news that her daughter had fallen ill.

Hours later, a worried Linda Alfaro walked into Brisa’s hospital room in New York and found her unconscious daughter connected to tubes and several machines.

During the show, Brisa’s parents, Linda and Omar Alfaro, and brothers, Jordan and Omar Jr., also shared their story via video, which was recorded at Omar’s home in Hesperia.

Many in the audience were moved when the videos showed Brisa Alfaro opening her eyes, giving a thumbs-up and working to speak again.

“I heard my baby’s voice again and that was amazing,” said Linda Alfaro in the video segment, as her family sat in the studio audience.

Stork told the audience that Brisa’s recovery was a “medical miracle” as she “defied all those odds,” just before a smiling and waving Brisa walked on stage and received a standing ovation.

With a large screen on stage that read, “Miraculous Brain Stroke Recovery!” Brisa Alfaro said her family’s “faith” was the key component in her ability to overcome her illness, saying she worked hard to recover and never gave up.

Physicians at Kaiser Permanente Fontana and Ballard Rehabilitation Hospital in San Bernardino also “had a huge hand” in her recovery, Linda Alfaro told the Daily Press.

Eventually, Brisa Alfaro hired a personal trainer at Apple Valley Express, started kickboxing again and began her running journey.

The audience applauded for her several times, including the moment a photo was shown of her completing one of her many competitive running events.

To celebrate her victory, Stork told Brisa Alfaro she would receive free tickets to see Jennifer Lopez in concert at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, with accommodations at the Red Rock Resort.

“Since the airing of the show, I have received many powerful messages from people all over the world that watched my story online,” Brisa Alfaro said. “I’m so blessed that my story has been able to bring hope back to people.”

Brisa Alfaro also shared her story with Medical And Health Science Technology students at Apple Valley High School. This school program is designed for students who aspire to have a career as a professional in the medical field.

“What they are studying in their course can potentially be so rewarding to them and to so many others in their near future,” Brisa Alfaro said. “Sharing my story with these inquiring students was greatly fulfilling and so much fun. They respectfully asked questions about my particular stroke and recovery. I believe my time resonated well with each of these young minds.”

Brisa Alfaro is scheduled to speak at High Desert Ignite on March 29, which happens to fall on the fourth anniversary of her stroke.

“I want to be an inspirational speaker, so Ignite is the perfect opportunity for me to share my story,” Brisa Alfaro said. “This entire journey has been amazing and I couldn’t have done this without my family, without my cousins, my aunt, my dad, everybody — and especially my mom.”

High Desert Ignite is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. on March 29 at the Holiday Inn located at 15494 Palmdale Road in Victorville. For more information, visit www.ignitehighdesert.com.

Search “Brisa on The Doctors Show” on YouTube to view the episode. For more information on “The Doctors,” visit www.thedoctorstv.com.

For more information on Brisa Alfaro, visit www.brisaalfaro.com or search for the hashtag #NoMoreBadDays online.